Annual Award Ceremony to be held at the Carnegie Library on June 1, at 7:00 PM

Washington, D.C., April 14, 2016 – Pop singer, songwriter, and The Voice finalist Jeffery Austin will perform at the Capital Pride Heroes Gala presented by Hilton, and generously hosted by the Historical Society of Washington, DC, on Wednesday, June 1. The annual Gala will be held at the iconic Carnegie Library, 801 K Street NW, at 7:00 PM. The Capital Pride Alliance will honor outstanding individuals, leaders, and activists who have furthered the causes important to the LGBTA community in the national capital region and beyond. The honorees, who will be announced in May, include Capital Pride Heroes and Engendered Spirits, as well as other special award recipients.

Jeffery Austin began singing at an early age, auditioning for every school play throughout grammar and high school. The Chicago native’s strength was tested at 9 years old when his father died. Jeffery remained focused on his dream of a singing career, but his musical aspirations were put on hold to attend college. He earned a degree in public relations and then entered the work force in that field in New York City.

A chance audition in 2015 led Jeffery to win a spot on the hit television reality show, The Voice. Having found the courage to come out to his family as gay at the age of 16, it was no surprise that Jeffery competed as an openly gay contestant. When asked, Jeffery said, “I never thought it had to be some big reveal, because no other contestant has to sit down and discuss their sexuality, but the experience of coming out is a huge part of who I am. It’s important to be honest on this show, or people see right through it. In order for people to connect to me, I had to be who I am, and that never was a concern for me to share.”

Jeffery landed on “Team Gwen” and was taken under the wing of multi-Grammy winner, Gwen Stefani. His vocal talent was proven week after week, and along the way he worked with Selena Gomez, Rihanna and Tori Kelly. Jeffery made it to the finals, and ultimately placed fourth.

Jeffery has had four iTunes recordings in the Top 10 on the overall iTunes chart, accompanying millions of views on his YouTube channel. He is currently on tour performing around the nation, and looks forward to recording his first album.

“Jeffery Austin’s talent and courage are inspiring, to say the least, and we find it particularly appropriate for him to be performing at the Heroes Gala,” said Ryan Bos, Executive Director of the Capital Pride Alliance. “We’re excited to be kicking off 12 days of the 2016 Celebration of Pride In The Nation’s Capital with Jeffery, and are very eager for everyone to experience his talent on June 1st!”

Hilton is proud to support the LGBTA community as a way to further the Hilton brand promise of ensuring that every guest feels cared for, valued and respected by setting the stage for all travelers. As a committed partner of Capital Pride for three years, this year, Hilton is National Presenting Sponsor and will be the official host hotel partner for the 2016 Celebration of Pride In The Nation’s Capital.

ABOUT THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON, D.C.

The Historical Society of Washington, D.C., is a community-supported educational and research organization that collects, interprets, and shares the history of our Nation’s Capital. Founded in 1894, it serves a diverse audience through its collections, public programs, exhibitions, and publications.

ABOUT CAPITAL PRIDE ALLIANCE

The Capital Pride Alliance, located in Washington, DC, is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the needs of the LGBTA community and allies through educational events, entertainment, community outreach, and celebrations of diversity, including the annual Pride Parade and Street Festival in our Nation’s Capital. The Capital Pride Alliance produces one of the largest Pride Celebrations in North America with more than 350,000 attendees in 2015. As the LGBTA Pride Celebration representing the Nation’s Capital, they strive to be a beacon of hope and solidarity for cities and communities around the country and the world. Facebook (facebook.com/CapitalPrideDC), Twitter (twitter.com/CapitalPrideDC), YouTube, and Instagram (instagram.com/CapitalPrideDC).

The Capital Pride Alliance, through its stewardship of diverse programming and events, specifically year-round LGBTQ+ Pride festivities centered in Washington, DC and the National Capital Region, serves to celebrate, educate, support, and inspire our multi-faceted communities in order to grow and preserve our history and protect our rights for current and future generations. Learn More